W.I.P. Greek Thespian Hoplite at Thermopylae

[paulyrichard]

Thanks Roger, thanks Sebastien.

Sebastien, if you read post #33, i've stated the paints i've used on this. Cheers man.

 

[periklis_sale]

Very nice my friend!!!!!

My only critism is that the broze looks too bright, you should tone it down a bit with a few washes!!!!!!!

 

[paulyrichard]

Thanks Periklis.

Regardin' the bronze, in reality its not as bright as you see in the images. This paint is so unique it shines and casts its own shadows and definition, and has the same quality as the real thing.
Lookin' at it for real, the effects are awesome.

I've seen someone mention somewhere that these paints actually rust, 'cos of the real metal content. That jus' maybe a theory though. Cheers anyway, man.

 

[herbwf]

Paul,
It is really difficult to drink my Bass Ale with my jaw dropped to the floor
What a wonderful piece! When I started following the thred the pictures of the kit parts were not inspiring to me but.... man what you have done with them!!
I also like the fact that you took less than a traditional path with the undercoat and sequence of painting. Love those different drummers Did you use the black undercoat because of the amount of black on the figure or just 'cus?
Regardless great job. thanks for taking the time to post it.
Herb

 

[paulyrichard]

Thanks Herb.

I always undercoat with a black primer. I believe it to be a bit of a myth in usin' a white or grey undercoat. The black undercoat I use gives me depth and relief. Unlike white.
Been usin' a black undercoat since 1989.

 

[arminius]

Hi Paul,

thanks for sharing your techniques.

I'm really interested in the Vallejo alcs. I usually use enamels for metallic effects. It's alright most of the time but I'm not 100% happy with the results. One problem is the heavy build up of paint. Being experimental I once bought a bottle of Vallejo Bronze (alc-based) and didn't come to grips with it. How do you exactly work that stuff?


Cheers
Andreas

 

[paulyrichard]

Andreas, the first thing to remember is that this paint is very thin and covers supremely well with jus' one coat, even over black. You don't need to work the paint around for fear of leavin' any brush marks, its impossible to leave brush marks in this stuff, 'cos of its thinness.

I always 'cut' or edge in the area first that needs to be painted, then with a slightly larger brush fill in the rest of the area with paint. I always apply a second coat for maximum effect.
I only use a matt black automotive paint as a primer, which dries to a slight satin finish which is totally totally smooth, but still has some 'tooth' to take the paint. As a result, when these alc-based paints are applied, they're totally flat and smooth, too.
I'm not so sure about some of these rough or gritty primers, the majority of which need to be sanded smooth, anyway.
I say this 'cos these paints are very thin.

Preperation is the key with this paint.

This paint is permanent, you can never rub it off unless you care to scrape away the white metal.

 

[arminius]

Thanks Paul,

I was wrong, digging through my drawer with old paints I realised, the Vallejo paint I had problems with in the past was acrylic, not alc-based. I also found an old bottle of alco-based Gold, shelf life obviously expired, though, but good enough for experimenting around.
You are right, it gives a very thin even coat, very suitable for larger surfaces, shields, helmets etc.
I’m going to by some bottles and try the stuff on my current project. It includes a golden Roman eagle standard.

One more thing: What do you use for thinner/brush-cleaner?


Cheers
Andreas

 

[paulyrichard]

Vallejo's acrylic metallics are awful, Andreas. I made the mistake of buyin' a few.

I use Revell's Airbrush Cleaner. It comes in a big can and will last quite awhile if your not usin' it for anythin' else, like cleanin' airbrushes. Its not a spray, so you can pour the stuff into a separate jar, to use.

Regards, Paul.